Tales From the Crypt
by CG-Boy
Summary: Everyone knows the classic fairy tales. But what everyone doesn't know is the truth. Remakes of classic fairy tales such as Red Riding Hood or Hansel and Gretel. R&R if you like it. Rated Teen for violence.
1. The Legend of Red Riding Hood

**The Legend of Red Riding Hood **

Once upon a time, on the edge of the deep wood there lived a young lady who always wore a hood of scarlet. Because of this she was called "Red Riding Hood." Red's mother, who was an herbalist, wanted to move deeper into the forest in order to find the rare potent ingredients that grew there. However she did not want to subject her daughter to the dangers that lurked deep within the shadows. Because of this decision, Red was of course upset but accepted it. Arrangements had been made that Red would stay with her uncle. Upon hearing this news Red became even more upset for her uncle was a stern man. He rarely smiled or laughed. When he wasn't hunting or farming he would sit down in one of his armchairs and read a read a book.

When Red and her uncle arrived at his cottage by the lake he did something very cruel. He locked Red in a corset made of iron. As she quivered in fear on the floor he told her that she would not be able to leave and live with her mother until she was strong enough to break the corset. She smashed at it every night with her bare fists. She hated it. And sure enough a week later the corset finally broke. She showed it to her uncle in triumph. He was reluctant to let her go but agreed on one condition. He gave her strict instructions to stay on the path and be sure to follow the trail of the needle and steer clear of the way of the nail. She agreed at once and set off on her journey.

As she neared the fork in the road, a hunter who had been watching her decided to follow her as to at least make sure no harm befell the girl for he knew the dangers of the forest better than almost anyone. As Red finally approached the fork in the road something jumped out at her. It had the body of a man but the features of a wolf.

The wolf was sly and cunning and asked her, "Where might you be going on such a lovely evening my pretty girl?" Red was nervous and still a little shaken from when the wolf had jumped at her but she was polite and answered, "I'm on my way to my mother's house in the heart of the forest." The wolf quickly devised a plan and said, "Since I am a creature of the night I know my way around the forest well and you might get there faster if you take the way of the nail." She stood silent for a moment but eventually answered, "Thank you. I will be sure to take that in mind." With this she walked off on the trail of the nail. The wolf waited until she was out of sight and made haste down the quicker way the way of the needle.

Suddenly the wolf's eyes ran red with hunger. He wasn't going to let anyone meddle with his plans for a meal. The hunter who had seen this all began to follow the wolf swiftly and silently. But when it comes to being followed unseen wolves are much harder to fool than little girls. The wolf knew he was being followed and decided to stop and confront the hunter. With this a fierce battle began. The wolf bared his teeth and raised his claws just as the hunter removed his cape and drew his sword. Both were equally fierce and strong. But in the end the wolf's speed prevailed. The wolf managed to escape the hunter leaving him lost in the forest.

The wolf finally arrived at the cabin in the heart of the deep forest. Without any hesitation he ran inside and killed Red's mother just as she arrived down the way of the nail. Thinking quickly the wolf took the mother's nightgown and put it on. The wolf finished his disguise just as Red knocked on the door three times. The wolf said in cloyingly sweet voice to come in. Red was hungry from her long walk through the forest and asked the wolf if he had anything to eat. The wolf said that there were food and drink laid out on the kitchen table. Red eagerly sat down and took a bite of meat just as a hawk perched itself on the windowsill. The hawk, which had seen everything, told her, "Do not be foolish young girl for you are eating you own mother's flesh." She said to her "mother", "Mother, the bird says that I'm eating your flesh." And the wolf replied, "Throw a hatch at that nasty bird he tells you lies." But by the time she turned to speak to the hawk it had already flown away. She then took a big drink from a glass of wine. Her mother's cat walked over and said to her, "Ignorant girl you are drinking your own mother's blood." This unnerved the girl. Red's hand suddenly began to shake. She turned to face the wolf and said, "Mother, your cat said that I'm drinking your blood." And the wolf replied, "Toss a shoe at that cat he is good for nothing." But the cat had already left in search of a new home. Red finished the rest of her meal undisturbed.

After finishing her meal Red told the wolf that she was sleepy and wanted to rest. The wolf told her to undress and make ready for bed. As Red walked back into the room she noticed her mother staring at her with hungry eyes. It was then that she started noticing queer things about her mother. "Mother, look at how big your eyes are," she said. And the wolf replied, "Without them, I couldn't see you nearly as well my dear." Red then said, "Mother, look at how big your ears are." The wolf replied, "All the better to hear the beating of your heart my daughter." "Mother, look how long your nails are," said Red. And the wolf said, "Without them I couldn't reach out and touch you my dear." As if she had lost all hope Red said in a quivering whisper, "Mother, look how big your teeth are." The wolf pulled down the hood of the nightgown and ate Little Red Riding Hood.

Having escaped the forest the hunter arrived too late. He saw what the wolf had done and swore that one day he would kill him. But wolves really are smarter aren't they…


	2. Rapunzel's Tale Part 1

**Rapunzel's Tale**

Once upon a there lived a childless couple. They lived in a small cottage next to a sorceress. The wife, at long last pregnant, noticed a beautiful rapunzel plant in the sorceress's garden. She longed to have some to the point of death and begged her husband to retrieve some for her. Each night for two nights he scaled the sorceress's stonewall blocking the way to her garden. Each of the two he failed. But on the third night he finally got some. As he was scaling his way back over the wall he woke the sorceress from her sleep. Angered she accused him of thievery.

"Why do you steal from my garden?" she screamed at him while conjuring fireballs and hurling them at the wall. The man jumped off the wall avoiding the fire. He then dropped to his knees and started crying, "I'm sorry! My wife wanted some of your rapunzel plant. I'll give you anything if you only spare my wife and me!" The witch waved her hand in a careless motion and the flames vanished. She stood thinking for a moment. It seemed she had come to a decision.

"I have noticed that your wife is bearing child. I will spare you and your wife on one condition. When the child is born it comes to live with me as my apprentice. If not, then you and your wife and your child will burn," said the sorceress. Without thought the man yelled, "The child will be yours!" then he quickly climbed over the wall and out of sight.

When the child was born she given to the sorceress. The child was a girl and was named Rapunzel after the plant that caused her a life away from her parents learning the arts of sorcery. The wife pleaded and begged not to take her but the witch didn't care. She simply wrapped her in her cape and walked off.

For twelve years the sorceress taught the girl the delicate art of magic. She taught her to conjure fire, water, earth and wind. She also showed her how to change the weather, which was an extremely difficult task. But from their first day of training the sorceress noticed she had a knack for magic. She also quite enjoyed it. But there was a problem.

One night Rapunzel overheard the sorceress. She was writing a letter and speaking the words aloud. "I fear the girl is getting too strong. By the time she is sixteen she may be strong enough to defeat me. But I have a solution. I plan to take the girl and lock her away in a tower of stone. There she will spend her days weeping and mourning. However I shall visit her every day at noon to bring her food and drink as if only to make sure she doesn't die. There will be no way in or out. For her at least. Don't worry I will be able to enter." Then she laid down her quill, folded up the letter, and tucked it into an envelope.

Upon hearing this Rapunzel became furious. She retrieved her staff and flew downstairs. She confronted the witch in her bedroom. It looked as though she was preparing for bed. "Hello Rapunzel. Shouldn't you be preparing yourself for bed as well? I've got a big lesson planned for tomorrow," she lied. Rapunzel raised her staff to the sorceress's face. Energy was surging through the staff like lightning, "How dare you! You don't plan to teach me in the morning. You plan to lock me up in a tower you witch! You are no friend of mine." With that energy shot out from the end of the staff knocking the witch to her back.

"Been spying lately Rapunzel? I think you've been a very bad girl. It's time you were punished!" and with that knives shot out from the witch's outstretched arms nailing Rapunzel to the wall. She pulled and struggled but try as she might she couldn't free herself. It was over.

The next morning she awoke chained to a table in the sorceress's bedroom. The door opened and in walked the witch. "Morning glory Rapunzel. Ready to take a trip to a tower?" She then waved her hand making the table hover out the room, across the house, and out the door. She was then locked in an iron cage on the back of chariot pulled flaming horses, which was controlled by the sorceress. She used a whip of water to make the horses speed up. They set off at dawn for the tower was in the middle of the forest. When they arrived the witch raised her hand towards the cage making it fly up to the only window. Once inside the bars of the cage opened releasing the girl. It then folded up and sailed out the open window. Suddenly Rapunzel had an idea. She ran to the window and tried to jump out. But without warning the open space in between the window lit up with bars made of flame.

"Don't even bother. It's enchanted. You'll never escape," said the witch. She then started to laugh an evil laugh. Rapunzel began to cry. There truly was no way out. The witch mounted her chariot and set off. And for the rest of the day Rapunzel sat sad and alone in the stone tower in the middle of the forest.

Part 1 of 3


	3. Rapunzel's Tale Part 2

**Rapunzel's Tale Part 2**

It had been nine years since the witch locked Rapunzel in the tower. It seemed as though life would never get better. Everyday at noon the witch would come to the tower in her chariot and bring Rapunzel food and water. Of course you must be wondering how the sorceress managed to get up to the tower. Well it was all very easy for her. She would first remove the enchantment on the window, then she would yell to Rapunzel, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!" (The day after the girl was locked up the sorceress enchanted Rapunzel's hair to grow magnificently.) And of course everyday Rapunzel would refuse to help her up. Upon hearing the word "No" escape the fragile lips of the girl, the witch became furious and threw fireballs at the girl leaving strange markings running down her arms, legs, and chest. The witch would eventually stop and use a spell forcing her hair to slither out the window like a snake. Then she would climb up. Rapunzel could not bear the woman's weight and cried out in suffering agony. Of course the witch didn't care for she was a sadistic and evil woman.

There was only one good thing that had ever happened to Rapunzel. The sorceress had enchanted her voice as to make it the sweetest singing voice in all the land. She would sing her sorrows away to the best of her abilities. She knew one day she would grow old and die but for now she could sing out for the entire world to hear her. She had always dreamed of a husband but she knew it could never be for the witch would never free her from her iron prison. At least she could dream.

One day a prince was riding his horse throughout the forest when he heard a noise. It was the sweetest sound he had ever heard. He wanted to follow it. He knew he must be on his way but it was as if some angel was pushing him closer and closer towards the lovely sound. He stopped trying to hold back and charged forward on his horse. At last he was in front of the tower. The sound was mesmerizing. As though in a trance he jumped down from the saddle and walked towards the tower.

"Hello?" he yelled up to the window. Startled for she had never heard a voice other than the sorceress's in twenty-one years, she ran over to the window. When she saw the prince she fell to her knees as a smile spread across her face. "Hello to you too," she said, "How did you find me?" The prince said, "I heard singing from the tower. I followed and it led me hear to the most beautiful girl in the world." Rapunzel began to blush, "You're very handsome yourself." "Do you think maybe I could come up there?" asked the prince. "I'm sorry but the sorceress enchanted it so I can't escape," said Rapunzel. Suddenly they both heard a noise it was the sound of horses and flame. The prince jumped behind a bush just as the witch arrived in her chariot.

"I was feeling generous today Rapunzel so I brought a bottle of wine and some chicken," said the sorceress. Rapunzel looked as though she had an idea and said, "Perhaps I can let you up today," just as the witch removed the enchantment. The witch then climbed up and they began to eat and drink. "No I insist that you drink all of the wine my mistress," said Rapunzel to the sorceress. "Well, if you insist," said the witch happily. By the time the meal was over the witch was drunk with wine and could barely stand straight to Rapunzel's advantage.

The witch fell out of the window and barely survived for she had made a bed appear below her and landed softly. The sorceress was so drunk she forgot to enchant the window on her way out just as Rapunzel had planned. When the sorceress was gone Rapunzel hurried to the window.

"At last she is gone," said the prince while walking out from behind the bush. "Yes," said Rapunzel in a longing tone. They were both longing for _something. _The prince walked to the edge of the tower and said, "Won't you let me up?" Rapunzel had a sheepish smile on her face, "You have to do it properly." The prince then got on his knee and yelled, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair!" She then took her long flowing locks and threw them down. She still felt pain as he climbed up but she knew it would all be worth it. When he at long lost he arrived at the window they began to kiss with passion. Then both dropped down onto the floor…

I'll let you figure out the rest. 


End file.
